The present invention is in the field of Computer Telephony Integrated (CTI) communication systems including both connection-oriented, switched telephony (COST) systems and Data Network Telephony (DNT) systems such as Internet-Protocol-Network-Telephony (IPNT) systems, and pertains more particularly to methods and apparatus for predicting an optimum frequency for an out-bound call generator in skill-based agent level routing (ALR) environments.
Telephone call processing and switching systems are, at the time of the present patent application, relatively sophisticated, computerized systems, and development and introduction of new systems continues. Much information on the nature of such hardware and software is available in a number of publications accessible to the present inventors and to those with skill in the art in general. For this reason, much minute detail of known systems is not reproduced here, as to do so may tend to obscure the facts of the invention.
At the time of filing the present patent application there continues to be remarkable growth in telephone-based information systems. Recently emerging examples are telemarketing operations and technical support operations, among many others, which have grown apace with development and marketing of, for example, sophisticated computer equipment. More traditional are systems for serving customers of large enterprises, such as insurance companies and the like. In some cases enterprises develop and maintain their own telephony operations with purchased or leased equipment, and in many other cases, companies outsource such operations to firms that specialize in such services.
In a call center, a relatively large number of agents handle telephone communication with callers. Each agent is typically assigned to a telephone connected to a central switch, such as a PBX, which is in turn connected to a public-switched telephone network (PSTN), well-known in the art. The central switch may be one of several known types.
An organization having one or more call centers for serving customers typically provides one or more telephone numbers to the public or to their customer base, or both, that may be used to reach the service. These numbers are frequently of the no-charge-to-calling-party variety. The number or numbers may be published on product packaging, in advertisements, in user manuals, in computerized help files, and the like. There are basically two scenarios. If the organization providing the service has a single call center, the number may be to the call center, and all further routing to an agent will be at the call center. If there are several call centers, the organization may provide several numbers, one for each call center, and the customer may be expected to use the number for the closest center, or for the center advertised to provide specifically the service he or she might need. In many cases the number provided will connect the caller with a first Service Control Point (SCP) which is adapted to pre-process incoming calls and forward the calls to call centers.
Routing of calls, then, may be on several levels. Pre-routing may be done at SCPs and further routing may be, and often is, accomplished at individual call centers. As described above, a call center typically involves a central switch, typically including an Automatic Call Distributor (ACD). The central switch is connected to the PSTN or other call network, as is well-known in the art. Agents, trained to interact with callers, service telephones connected to the central switch.
If the call center consists of just a central switch and connected telephone stations, the routing that can be done is quite limited. Current art telephony switches, although increasingly computerized, are limited in the range of computer processes that may be performed. For this reason additional computer capability in the art has been added for such central switches by connecting computer processors, adapted to run control routines and to access databases, to the central switch. The processes of incorporating computer enhancement to telephone switches is known in the art as Computer Telephony Integration (CTI), and the hardware and software together is referred to as CTI equipment. Typically the CTI processor, executing CTI applications, monitors the activity of the switch and status of calls and equipment, and issues instructions and commands to the switch.
In a CTI system, telephone stations having telephones connected to the central switch may be equipped also with computer terminals, so agents manning such stations may have access to stored data as well as being linked to incoming callers by a telephone connection. Such stations may be interconnected in a local area network (LAN) by any one of several known network protocols, with one or more servers also connected to the network, and the CTI processor connected on the network as well.
When a call arrives at a call center, whether or no the call has been pre-processed at a SCP, typically at least the telephone number of the calling line is made available to the receiving switch at the call center by a telephone carrier. This service is available by most PSTNs as caller-ID information in a format such as the well-known ANIS system (Automatic Number Identification System). If the call center is computer-enhanced (CTI), the phone number of the calling party may be used to access additional information from a database at a server on the network that connects the agent workstations. In this manner information pertinent to a call may be provided to an agent.
Even with present levels of CTI there are still problems in operating such call centers, or a system of such call centers. For example there are waiting queues with which to contend, and long waits may be experienced by some callers, while other agents may be available who could handle callers stuck in call-center queues. This condition is usually more prevalent in a large call-in center wherein a limited number of agents must field many calls. It is generally desired that waiting periods experienced by callers not be of such a length such that a caller becomes frustrated and terminates the call. However, it is witnessed by many who patronize call centers that much improvement is needed with regards to waiting time in call-center queues.
There are techniques practiced in the industry aimed at alleviating long caller-queue waiting periods. One such standard development involves call load-balancing wherein incoming calls are distributed (routed) more evenly to available call centers such that queue lengths individual to separate call centers are somewhat the same. This technique may also be practiced in single call centers wherein calls are distributed among separate groups of agents. While this technique helps to even out call loads among different queues, queue length may still be high during peak traffic periods.
Another technique involves transferring a call to an alternate destination when that call approaches a pre-set maximum queue-waiting time for an agent. The alternate destination may help to keep the caller on the line via interactive method such as reviewing the purpose of the call or perhaps advertising products, while waiting for an available agent. However, a long queue can still be an irritating factor for many callers, even when some form of entertainment such as music is provided.
The above-described techniques may help to stabilize overall queue waiting times within call centers, or help to alleviate caller stress when waiting time is excessive, but they only partially address the problem. At peak call-in periods queue waits may still be high even though calls are distributed evenly. Regardless of the distribution (routing) method used, callers are generally not informed of expected waiting time.
With advances in call routing becoming more prevalent in the art advanced techniques must be developed for estimating queue wait times. New technologies include priority queuing, virtual queuing, routing to agents based on skill-set of the agent (e.g. language, level of expertise, etc.), routing to agents based on level or state of availability, routing to agents based on pre-acquired and/or pre-stored caller information, routing to agents based on priority assignment of call, and so on.
In addition to priority queuing, virtual queuing, as mentioned above, is also implemented in CTI-enhanced environments. A virtual queue is a method for tokenizing a call wherein the caller may retain his position be it FIFO or priority queue after he has terminated the call. When his position is the next xe2x80x9ccallxe2x80x9d to be handled, an automated or manual outbound dialer places a call to the original caller. When the caller answers, he is connected to the available agent chosen to handle the call.
In a system known to the inventor and listed by title under the cross-reference section, call-waiting time may be estimated for selected calls waiting in selected queues using a number of calculative techniques depending at least in part on the queuing arrangement. The system, takes into account such conditions as rate of abandoned calls, multiple queues, average call-length statistics, bumped calls (Priority), redirected calls, and so on. Callers are periodically informed of estimated wait time (EWT) by an IVR system while they wait for an agent to address their needs. Due to the calculative and predictive nature of the system technique and the availability of variable information to the system obtained through compilation of data from statistical sources within the call center, higher accuracy in predicting actual wait time is attained at higher call loads.
It is generally true that callers who are calling in to a call center for the express purpose of contacting an agent are more likely to agree to some waiting period than customers who are contacted by the call center as part of an out-bound customer care campaign. For example, an out-bound call campaign uses a call generator and an out-bound dialing system for automated call-and-connect to available agents waiting for the calls. As such, calls resulting from the out-bound technique are routed to agents in the same fashion as normal incoming traffic.
In this scenario, there are further problems with which to contend in order to effect adequate call-load to agent utilization ratios. For example, there are missed calls due to non-answer. There will invariably be customer pick-ups that simply hang-up immediately. There will also be calls answered by an answering machine. Therefore, out of a total number of out-bound call attempts, only a certain percentage will translate into calls-in-queue.
The calls-in-queue resulting from an out-bound campaign must be treated differently than normal incoming calls because of the fact that a customer that has been called by the center is much less likely to accept even a small wait time in queue. Therefore, it is desired that there be zero or near zero wait time for connecting out-bound contacts to waiting agents.
The challenge then, is how to manage a call-load resulting from an out-bound campaign such that customers are not kept waiting for any long period, and that agents are still not underutilized in answering calls.
What is clearly needed is a method for predicting call generation rates in an out-bound-call campaign such that the appropriate call-loads are produced for the appropriate number of agents working the calls with customers experiencing very little or no wait time. A system such as this would allow a higher success rate in servicing customers contacted through out-bound call campaigns by enabling agents to retain those contacts normally lost because of hang-up during queue wait time.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention a system for balancing outbound dialing rate with agent utilization in a telephony call center, minimizing wait time for answered outdialed calls is provided, comprising a call number generating module for generating numbers to be automatically dialed; a dialing unit for dialing numbers generated; a queue for queing answered calls; and a stat module for monitoring performance and generating a call generation rate. The system uses an analytical method for determining the call generation rate, wherein the method uses one or more of distribution function of system processes, numerical methods, solving of non-linear equations, or probability techniques.
In another aspect an analytical method for minimizing time in queue for parties answering outdialed calls is provided, comprising steps of (a) monitoring elements of system behavior using a stat module connected to a call generating unit; (b) calculating a call generation rate by applying one or more of distribution function of system processes, numerical methods, solving of non-linear equations, or probability techniques with statistics developed by the stat module; and (c) applying the call generation rate to pace the call generation unit.
In yet another aspect a system for balancing outbound dialing rate with agent utilization in a telephony call center, minimizing wait time for answered outdialed calls is provided, comprising a call number generating module for generating numbers to be automatically dialed; a dialing unit for dialing numbers generated; a queue for queing answered calls; and a stat module for monitoring performance and generating a call generation rate. This system uses a simulation method for determining the call generation rate, wherein parameters relating to a queing system are estimated in absence of sufficient information by simulating each of the system""s processes, predicting behavior of the system on basis of previous experience, and finding optimal point in future to make a next call.
In still another aspect a simulation method for minimizing time in queue for parties answering outdialed calls, in an outdialing system is provided comprising steps of (a) simulating each of the system""s processes; (b) predicting behavior of the system on basis of previous experience; and (c) finding an optimal point in the future to make a next call, based on results of steps (a) and (b).
In embodiments of the system taught in enabling detail below an outdialing system is provided that performs better than prior art systems, minimizing time in queue for answered calls.